Objective:To explore the associated factors for membranous nephropathy (MN) patients with IgM deposition, and to construct a prediction model.Methods:This study was a retrospective cohort study. Patients diagnosed with MN with IgM deposition by renal biopsy in the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from February 2017 to December 2023 were retrospectively included. Clinical and pathological data were collected. The study population was randomized into a training set and a validation set at a 7:3 ratio. The endpoint event was defined as the remission of MN, and the patients were divided into remission group and non-remission group to compare the clinical and pathological examination results. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis and Cox regression analysis were used to explore the associated factors of poor prognosis of MN patients with IgM deposition. Internal validation was conducted using the validation set data. The clinical efficacy of the predictive model was evaluated by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and generating calibration curves. The total nomogram score for each patient was calculated based on the training set data, and the predictive performance was assessed by plotting the ROC curve. Patients were then stratified into low-risk and high-risk groups according to the optimal cut-off value derived from the ROC analysis of the total nomogram score. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to compare the remission rate between the two groups. Model performance was evaluated using the validation set.Results:A total of 200 MN patients with IgM deposition were included, and 49.0% of them achieved clinical remission. In the training set, statistically significant differences were observed in 24-hour urine protein quantification ( Z=-2.638, P=0.008), renal arteriolar wall thickening ( χ2=6.891, P=0.009), the proportion of patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy ( χ2=21.381, P<0.001), and the proportion of patients treated with corticosteroids combined with cyclophosphamide ( χ2=10.107, P=0.001). Through least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression and Cox regression, 2 factors associated with clinical remission in MN patients with IgM deposition were simultaneously identified from 16 potential associated factors, including the use of immunosuppressants ( HR=3.823, 95% CI 2.055-7.113, P<0.001), and renal arteriolar wall thickening ( HR=0.428, 95% CI 0.221-0.831, P=0.012). Incorporating the clinical measurement of phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) antibodies, a predictive model was established. The performance of the model was evaluated using the training dataset, yielding an area under the ROC curve of 0.731 (95% CI 0.648-0.814), with a sensitivity of 88.7% and a specificity of 55.1%. The optimal cut-off value was a total nomogram score of 41.7 points. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the remission rate was significantly higher in the low-risk group than that of the high-risk group (Log-rank test, χ2=33.525, P<0.001). Model validation was performed using the validation dataset, which showed an AUC of 0.715 (95% CI 0.591-0.839), sensitivity of 70.4%, and specificity of 63.6%. Similarly, the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated a significantly higher remission rate in the low-risk group than in the high-risk group (Log-rank test, χ2=8.467, P=0.004). Conclusion:A nomogram predictive model for remission of MN patients with IgM deposition, based on serum PLA2R antibody levels, the use of immunosuppressive therapy, and renal arteriolar wall thickening is developed. The model demonstrates a moderate clinical applicability.

Objective:To explore the in vitro radiation levels and in vivo neutron activation after patients receiving boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). Methods:Totally 29 BNCT treatments were performed for 21 patients with head and neck and brain cancer using the NeuPex accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy (AB-BNCT) system in Xiamen Humanity Hospital from October, 2022 to April, 2024. The ambient dose equivalent rate around the patients was measured with an X/gamma dose rate survey meter. The gamma radiation dose rates were measured at 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 m from the irradiation position, at 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 m from the opposite side of the irradiation position, and at the navel and the affected knee, respectively. Meanwhile, a portable high-purity germanium gamma spectrometer was used to measure the spectrum of activated nuclides in the bodies of patients who had underwent the treatment, and the types of radionuclides generated by neutron activation during each BNCT treatment were analyzed.Results:The radionuclides 24Na, 38Cl, and 49Ca were mainly produced in the bodies of patients treated with BNCT. 20 minutes after BNCT treatment, the ambient dose equivalent rate at a distance of 1.0 m from the irradiation position was lower than 2.5 μSv/h. Conclusions:The dose delivered to the staff and family members by the patients undergoing BNCT is relatively low, and the resulting radiation risk is low. According to the ALARA principle, it is recommended that certain control actions be taken for patients having received BNCT treatment to minimize the exposure doses of both patients and staff as much as possible.

Objective To examine the association between lymphocyte subsets and renal clinicopathological characteristics as well as prognosis in patients with IgA nephropathy(IgAN).Methods The retrospective analysis included general clinical data and pathological examination results of IgAN patients diagnosed by renal biopsy at the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2018 to January 2022.Correlation tests were conducted to examine the relationship between lymphocyte subsets and other significant clinicopathological parameters.The optimal cut-off value of CD4+T determined using the Youden index,and patients were grouped accordingly.Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression analyses were employed to compare the low and high CD4+T lymphocyte groups among IgAN patients,identifying factors influencing renal function progression.The endpoint event was defined as a decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)of≥30%from baseline,progression to end-stage renal disease(ESRD)[eGFR<15 mL/(min·1.73 m2)or initiation of renal replacement therapy],or all-cause mortality.Results Low CD4+T lymphocytes were significantly positively correlated with blood IgA levels and the proportion of glomerular crescents in IgAN patients(all P<0.05).This study included a total of 53 IgAN patients,divided into two groups based on CD4+T lymphocyte counts:20 patients in the low CD4+T lymphocyte group and 33 patients in the high CD4+T lymphocyte group.In the low CD4+T lymphocyte group,there was a higher proportion of males and a lower proportion of glomerular crescents(P<0.05).Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that patients with low CD4+lymphocytes had a significantly lower cumulative renal survival rate(Log-Rank test χ2=4.188,P=0.041).Cox regression analysis indicated that low CD4+lymphocytes were an independent risk factor for the progression of renal function decline in IgAN patients(HR=2.614,95%CI:1.006～6.788,P=0.048).Conclusions Patients with higher levels of CD4+T lymphocytes exhibit a lower risk of adverse renal outcomes.In contrast,patients with IgA nephropathy and low CD4+T lymphocyte counts tend to have poorer renal survival rates.

Objective:To explore the in vitro radiation levels and in vivo neutron activation after patients receiving boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). Methods:Totally 29 BNCT treatments were performed for 21 patients with head and neck and brain cancer using the NeuPex accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy (AB-BNCT) system in Xiamen Humanity Hospital from October, 2022 to April, 2024. The ambient dose equivalent rate around the patients was measured with an X/gamma dose rate survey meter. The gamma radiation dose rates were measured at 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 m from the irradiation position, at 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 m from the opposite side of the irradiation position, and at the navel and the affected knee, respectively. Meanwhile, a portable high-purity germanium gamma spectrometer was used to measure the spectrum of activated nuclides in the bodies of patients who had underwent the treatment, and the types of radionuclides generated by neutron activation during each BNCT treatment were analyzed.Results:The radionuclides 24Na, 38Cl, and 49Ca were mainly produced in the bodies of patients treated with BNCT. 20 minutes after BNCT treatment, the ambient dose equivalent rate at a distance of 1.0 m from the irradiation position was lower than 2.5 μSv/h. Conclusions:The dose delivered to the staff and family members by the patients undergoing BNCT is relatively low, and the resulting radiation risk is low. According to the ALARA principle, it is recommended that certain control actions be taken for patients having received BNCT treatment to minimize the exposure doses of both patients and staff as much as possible.

Objective To examine the association between lymphocyte subsets and renal clinicopathological characteristics as well as prognosis in patients with IgA nephropathy(IgAN).Methods The retrospective analysis included general clinical data and pathological examination results of IgAN patients diagnosed by renal biopsy at the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2018 to January 2022.Correlation tests were conducted to examine the relationship between lymphocyte subsets and other significant clinicopathological parameters.The optimal cut-off value of CD4+T determined using the Youden index,and patients were grouped accordingly.Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression analyses were employed to compare the low and high CD4+T lymphocyte groups among IgAN patients,identifying factors influencing renal function progression.The endpoint event was defined as a decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)of≥30%from baseline,progression to end-stage renal disease(ESRD)[eGFR<15 mL/(min·1.73 m2)or initiation of renal replacement therapy],or all-cause mortality.Results Low CD4+T lymphocytes were significantly positively correlated with blood IgA levels and the proportion of glomerular crescents in IgAN patients(all P<0.05).This study included a total of 53 IgAN patients,divided into two groups based on CD4+T lymphocyte counts:20 patients in the low CD4+T lymphocyte group and 33 patients in the high CD4+T lymphocyte group.In the low CD4+T lymphocyte group,there was a higher proportion of males and a lower proportion of glomerular crescents(P<0.05).Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that patients with low CD4+lymphocytes had a significantly lower cumulative renal survival rate(Log-Rank test χ2=4.188,P=0.041).Cox regression analysis indicated that low CD4+lymphocytes were an independent risk factor for the progression of renal function decline in IgAN patients(HR=2.614,95%CI:1.006～6.788,P=0.048).Conclusions Patients with higher levels of CD4+T lymphocytes exhibit a lower risk of adverse renal outcomes.In contrast,patients with IgA nephropathy and low CD4+T lymphocyte counts tend to have poorer renal survival rates.

Objective:To explore the associated factors for membranous nephropathy (MN) patients with IgM deposition, and to construct a prediction model.Methods:This study was a retrospective cohort study. Patients diagnosed with MN with IgM deposition by renal biopsy in the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from February 2017 to December 2023 were retrospectively included. Clinical and pathological data were collected. The study population was randomized into a training set and a validation set at a 7:3 ratio. The endpoint event was defined as the remission of MN, and the patients were divided into remission group and non-remission group to compare the clinical and pathological examination results. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis and Cox regression analysis were used to explore the associated factors of poor prognosis of MN patients with IgM deposition. Internal validation was conducted using the validation set data. The clinical efficacy of the predictive model was evaluated by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and generating calibration curves. The total nomogram score for each patient was calculated based on the training set data, and the predictive performance was assessed by plotting the ROC curve. Patients were then stratified into low-risk and high-risk groups according to the optimal cut-off value derived from the ROC analysis of the total nomogram score. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to compare the remission rate between the two groups. Model performance was evaluated using the validation set.Results:A total of 200 MN patients with IgM deposition were included, and 49.0% of them achieved clinical remission. In the training set, statistically significant differences were observed in 24-hour urine protein quantification ( Z=-2.638, P=0.008), renal arteriolar wall thickening ( χ2=6.891, P=0.009), the proportion of patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy ( χ2=21.381, P<0.001), and the proportion of patients treated with corticosteroids combined with cyclophosphamide ( χ2=10.107, P=0.001). Through least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression and Cox regression, 2 factors associated with clinical remission in MN patients with IgM deposition were simultaneously identified from 16 potential associated factors, including the use of immunosuppressants ( HR=3.823, 95% CI 2.055-7.113, P<0.001), and renal arteriolar wall thickening ( HR=0.428, 95% CI 0.221-0.831, P=0.012). Incorporating the clinical measurement of phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) antibodies, a predictive model was established. The performance of the model was evaluated using the training dataset, yielding an area under the ROC curve of 0.731 (95% CI 0.648-0.814), with a sensitivity of 88.7% and a specificity of 55.1%. The optimal cut-off value was a total nomogram score of 41.7 points. The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the remission rate was significantly higher in the low-risk group than that of the high-risk group (Log-rank test, χ2=33.525, P<0.001). Model validation was performed using the validation dataset, which showed an AUC of 0.715 (95% CI 0.591-0.839), sensitivity of 70.4%, and specificity of 63.6%. Similarly, the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated a significantly higher remission rate in the low-risk group than in the high-risk group (Log-rank test, χ2=8.467, P=0.004). Conclusion:A nomogram predictive model for remission of MN patients with IgM deposition, based on serum PLA2R antibody levels, the use of immunosuppressive therapy, and renal arteriolar wall thickening is developed. The model demonstrates a moderate clinical applicability.

Objective:To analyze the current situation of dosimetry audits for linear accelerators in China comprehensively based on the literature, including the range of output dose deviation and the qualified rate of output dose deviation.Methods:Literature search including non-full-text was carried out in CNKI database for literature on output dose verification using dosimeter comparison and quality control test, respectively. Data extraction and analysis were carried out for each kind of eligible literature. The data on the number of tested linear accelerators, the number of qualified linear accelerators, the qualified rate of output dose deviation and the range of output dose deviation were extracted, and the total qualified rate of output dose deviation was calculated based on the total number of tested linear accelerators and the total number of qualified linear accelerators. The data on qualified rate of output dose deviation and output dose deviation in past years were sorted out and their trend was analyzed.Results:A total of 11 literatures using dosimeter comparison method for output dose verification were retrieved, and the total qualified rate of the output dose deviation reported in these literatures was 90.7%. The qualified rate of the output dose deviation in the early years was either as low as 75% or as high as 100%, and remained around 90% in recent years. A total of 19 literatures using quality control test method for output dose verification were retrieved, and the total qualified rate of X-ray and electron beam output dose deviation reported in these literatures was 86.5% and 78.4%, respectively. Of the 12 data on X-ray output dose qualified rate in 2014-2019, 8 were below 90.0% and 4 were above 90.0%. Of the 7 data on X-ray output dose qualified rate in 2020-2023, 2 were below 90.0% and 5 were greater than or equal to 90.0%. The qualified rate of electron beam output dose was 46.2%-80.0% before 2021 and 100% from 2021 to 2023.Conclusions:The qualified rate of the output dose deviation of linear accelerators in China reported in the literature in recent years is on the rise, but the total qualified rate of the output dose deviation of linear accelerators in China is still lower than in developed countries. In order to ensure the therapeutic effect of the patients undergoing radiotherapy, measures should be taken to reduce the output dose deviation of linear accelerators and improve the level of qualified rate of output dose verification.

Objective　: To verify the feasibility of using a homemade lung phantom for quality control of Cyberknife by comparing the measurement results of the homemade lung phantom and CIRS dynamic phantom in E2E testing of Cyberknife lung tracking.  Methods　 : The patient treatment process was simulated, including CT positioning, plan design, irra- diation implementation, film scanning, and analysis using the homemade phantom and CIRS phantom. The two phantoms were measured five times using MLC under the S7 generation Cyberknife and five times using Iris under the M6 generation Cyberknife. The differences in measurement results between the two phantoms were analyzed using independent sample t-test. Results　: For the S7 generation Cyberknife, the statistical analysis of differences between the two phantoms in the detection values on the X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis, and total deviation showed P values of 0.236, 0.175, 0.289, and 0.668, respect- ively. For the M6 generation Cyberknife, the statistical analysis showed P values of 0.880, 0.891, 0.573, and 0.433, respect- ively. The P values were all > 0.05. Therefore, there were no statistically significant differences in the detection results between the homemade lung phantom and the CIRS phantom under the S7 and M6 generation Cyberknife. The total deviation values were <1.5 mm. Conclusion　 The homemade lung phantom and CIRS phantom have consistent measurement results in the E2E testing of Cyberknife lung tracking and meet the requirements of Report of AAPM TG-135 and WS 667- 2019 standard. Therefore, the homemade lung phantom is feasible for clinical quality control of Cyberknife.

Objective To evaluate the application of three deep learning algorithms in automatic segmentation of clinical target volumes (CTVs) in high-dose-rate brachytherapy after surgery for endometrial carcinoma. Methods A dataset comprising computed tomography scans from 306 post-surgery patients with endometrial carcinoma was divided into three subsets: 246 cases for training, 30 cases for validation, and 30 cases for testing. Three deep convolutional neural network models, 3D U-Net, 3D Res U-Net, and V-Net, were compared for CTV segmentation. Several commonly used quantitative metrics were employed, i.e., Dice similarity coefficient, Hausdorff distance, 95th percentile of Hausdorff distance, and Intersection over Union. Results During the testing phase, CTV segmentation with 3D U-Net, 3D Res U-Net, and V-Net showed a mean Dice similarity coefficient of 0.90 ± 0.07, 0.95 ± 0.06, and 0.95 ± 0.06, a mean Hausdorff distance of 2.51 ± 1.70, 0.96 ± 1.01, and 0.98 ± 0.95 mm, a mean 95th percentile of Hausdorff distance of 1.33 ± 1.02, 0.65 ± 0.91, and 0.40 ± 0.72 mm, and a mean Intersection over Union of 0.85 ± 0.11, 0.91 ± 0.09, and 0.92 ± 0.09, respectively. Segmentation based on V-Net was similarly to that performed by experienced radiation oncologists. The CTV segmentation time was < 3.2 s, which could save the work time of clinicians. Conclusion V-Net is better than other models in CTV segmentation as indicated by quantitative metrics and clinician assessment. Additionally, the method is highly consistent with the ground truth, reducing inter-doctor variability and treatment time.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and dosimetric parameters associated with acute hematologic toxicity (AHT) resulting from radiation-induced damage to hematopoietic organs in patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy for cervical cancer and to provide a reference for establishing dose constraints in relevant regions of interest (ROIs) and predicting adverse tissue reactions during the development of clinical treatment plans. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 556 patients with cervical cancer who underwent chemoradiotherapy at our hospital. Univariate (χ² and t-test) and multivariate (binary logistic regression analyses) methods were employed to investigate the association of clinical factors and pelvic dose-volume parameters with grade ≥ 3 AHT in patients with cervical cancer. Clinical factors comprised patients’ age, clinical stage, pathologic stage, whether the patient had received chemotherapy in the radiotherapy cycle of interest, and dose-volume dosimetric parameters V_x and D_mean for pelvic bone marrow (BM) and femoral head (FH) structures. Results The incidence of AHT among the included cases was 30.4% (169/556). Chi-square analysis of the clinical factors revealed that whether the patient had received chemotherapy, patient’s age, and pathologic stage had a significant impact on AHT. Univariate analysis showed that the factors associated with AHT were mean dose, V₅, V₁₀, V₁₅, V₂₀, and V₂₅ of BM and FH; dosimetric parameters such as V₃₅ of FH had a significant impact on the development of AHT. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified V₁₅ of pelvic BM as an independent risk factor for AHT (P=0.041), with a threshold value of 84.29% as determined by a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Conclusion Whether a patient had received chemotherapy in the radiotherapy cycle of interest, and patient’s age and pathologic stage can serve as predictors of AHT. V₁₅ of BM is an independent risk factor for AHT development. Therefore, when formulating a treatment plan, it is crucial to ensure that pelvic V₁₅ remains below 84.29% to effectively reduce the incidence of grade ≥ 3 acute bone marrow depression.